Speaking with Ted Murray CEO of Clane Project Centre (A Social Enterprise in North County Kildare), I asked him to define a social enterprise in his own words. Ted simplified it as a company with two bottom lines - a financial bottom line and a social bottom line. He believes a social enterprise should be able to measure its profit at the end of each year along with its social impact.

Clane Project Centre Ltd. was formerly known as Clane Local Development Ltd. CLD evolved from a Rural Development sub-committee of Clane Community Council under the leadership of the late Fr. Bob Thompson SJ. In 1993 Clane Local Development commissioned NUI Maynooth to conduct a study on “Social Exclusion in the North Kildare Area”. This study pointed out major disadvantages, one of which was the lack of employment and the fact that there was no major employer in the area. Unemployment was at crisis levels in the North Kildare area.

With the backing of ADM funding and local fundraising The Thompson Enterprise Centre was built. An incubator for start-up companies offering affordable rents and a guiding hand encouraged entreprepreneurs to take a risk. Hugh Fieghan RIP was appointed manager and nurtured the fledgling company through its formative years.

In 2007 Ted Murray became CEO and the company later rebranded to become Clane Project Centre. At present there are 16 start –ups based there including Clane College and Clane Men’s Shed. CPC invest in the local community by sponsoring good causes and directly run Clane Youth Project and Clane CoderDojo.

From meeting with Ted it is clear to see he is passionate about maintaining a certain quality of life for everyone in his community. In 2011 he set up a men’s shed based on feedback from local people. A social enterprise in its own right, it has thrived ever since. The Clane Men’s Shed was set up for ‘Men with a bit of time on their hands’. This fantastic initiative now sees over 30 men coming to the workshop every week. They range from retired to unemployed men from all different backgrounds and meet up to enjoy a chat, a cup of tea or to continue on a project they are working on. They sell the handmade furniture they create at car boot sales to reach their rent each month, fund trips away and purchase materials. However not all their work is to generate income, by painting items for the parish centre, assembling office furniture for Barrettstown and building birdhouses for the local wildlife they have a clear impact on their local community. The Clane Project Centre also set up free computer training with Clane College for all the members of The Men’s Shed. Through this resource men got to speak with their loved ones abroad some even got to see and speak with grandchildren they had never met before.

Another project undertaken this year was The Clane Youth Project. Here Coderdojo is on offer to youths from the age of 7 -14 years old. They can learn how to code, develop websites, apps, programs, games and much more. Also free grinds were offered to students sitting their state exam through the years by student teachers.Teachers from the local schools have seen an increase of 15% in students grades as a result.

Clane Project Centre is evidence of a successful Social Enterprise. Through the years of operation Ted had to say the main hurdles he found were finance and supports. He feels Ireland needs much more support to fund and maintain Social Enterprises; there should be tools available to measure social impact, so that Social Enterprises can quantify their impact.

He advises potential Social Entrepreneurs to treat their enterprise as a serious business, so that they can make sure the financial side is viable before they begin.

From building birdhouses for the community to donating €1,500 to the ICA for Christmas dinner for the elderly, the Clane Project Centre and the passionate spirit of Ted Murray and the board of directors are a great example of a Social Enterprise that makes a difference.

Speaking with Ted Murray CEO of Clane Project Centre (A Social Enterprise in North County Kildare), I asked him to define a social enterprise in his own words. Ted simplified it as a company with two bottom lines - a financial bottom line and a social bottom line. He believes a social enterprise should be able to measure its profit at the end of each year along with its social impact.

Clane Project Centre Ltd. was formerly known as Clane Local Development Ltd. CLD evolved from a Rural Development sub-committee of Clane Community Council under the leadership of the late Fr. Bob Thompson SJ. In 1993 Clane Local Development commissioned NUI Maynooth to conduct a study on “Social Exclusion in the North Kildare Area”. This study pointed out major disadvantages, one of which was the lack of employment and the fact that there was no major employer in the area. Unemployment was at crisis levels in the North Kildare area.

With the backing of ADM funding and local fundraising The Thompson Enterprise Centre was built. An incubator for start-up companies offering affordable rents and a guiding hand encouraged entreprepreneurs to take a risk. Hugh Fieghan RIP was appointed manager and nurtured the fledgling company through its formative years.

In 2007 Ted Murray became CEO and the company later rebranded to become Clane Project Centre. At present there are 16 start –ups based there including Clane College and Clane Men’s Shed. CPC invest in the local community by sponsoring good causes and directly run Clane Youth Project and Clane CoderDojo.

From meeting with Ted it is clear to see he is passionate about maintaining a certain quality of life for everyone in his community. In 2011 he set up a men’s shed based on feedback from local people. A social enterprise in its own right, it has thrived ever since. The Clane Men’s Shed was set up for ‘Men with a bit of time on their hands’. This fantastic initiative now sees over 30 men coming to the workshop every week. They range from retired to unemployed men from all different backgrounds and meet up to enjoy a chat, a cup of tea or to continue on a project they are working on. They sell the handmade furniture they create at car boot sales to reach their rent each month, fund trips away and purchase materials. However not all their work is to generate income, by painting items for the parish centre, assembling office furniture for Barrettstown and building birdhouses for the local wildlife they have a clear impact on their local community. The Clane Project Centre also set up free computer training with Clane College for all the members of The Men’s Shed. Through this resource men got to speak with their loved ones abroad some even got to see and speak with grandchildren they had never met before.

Another project undertaken this year was The Clane Youth Project. Here Coderdojo is on offer to youths from the age of 7 -14 years old. They can learn how to code, develop websites, apps, programs, games and much more. Also free grinds were offered to students sitting their state exam through the years by student teachers.Teachers from the local schools have seen an increase of 15% in students grades as a result.

Clane Project Centre is evidence of a successful Social Enterprise. Through the years of operation Ted had to say the main hurdles he found were finance and supports. He feels Ireland needs much more support to fund and maintain Social Enterprises; there should be tools available to measure social impact, so that Social Enterprises can quantify their impact.

He advises potential Social Entrepreneurs to treat their enterprise as a serious business, so that they can make sure the financial side is viable before they begin.

From building birdhouses for the community to donating €1,500 to the ICA for Christmas dinner for the elderly, the Clane Project Centre and the passionate spirit of Ted Murray and the board of directors are a great example of a Social Enterprise that makes a difference.